The inflatable multi-colored dragons were really just a cheeky gift from her husband, not meant to live beyond Halloween. Except Diana Rowland decided to keep her glorified lawn ornaments up for Christmas, decorating them with garland, Santa hats, and blue shawls for good measure. And sure enough, they were smash hits in her Mandeville, Louisiana neighborhood.
Four Christmases later, and her dragon tradition is still going. However, the unique decorations haven't sat well with everyone. One anonymous neighbor decided enough was enough - Rowland recently found an angry unsigned letter on her doorstep demanding the dragons be taken down:
"YOUR DRAGON DISPLAY IS ONLY MARGINALLY ACCEPTABLE AT HALLOWEEN, IT IS TOTALLY INAPPROPRIATE AT CHRISTMAS. IT MAKES YOUR NEIGHBORS WONDER IF YOU ARE INVOLVED IN A DEMONIC CULT. PLEASE CONSIDER REMOVING THE DRAGONS. MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND HELP YOU TO KNOW THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS."
Taken aback by the accusations, Rowland posted the "fan mail" on Twitter:
Our dragon holiday display got fan mail! (And apparently the "true meaning of Christmas" involves judgmental bullshit?) ? pic.twitter.com/7NLZKkEW2x
Diana Rowland (@dianarowland) December 15, 2018
Story Goes Viral
In a hilarious act of revenge, Rowland promptly went out and bought more dragons. The story quickly went viral, and the internet exploded with headlines reaching as far as Germany,France, and Mexico. International admirers, eager to exacerbate Christian hysteria, flooded Rowland with offers of more dragons.
And just like that, the former-police-officer-turned-sci-fi-writer became a modern day hero - a symbol of defending what you don't really believe in. "Everyone has that story of the crazy neighbor or the pushy neighbor, the one who sends passive-aggressive notes about where you should put your garbage," Rowland explained, characterizing her own neighbor as "judgy-mcjudgyface."
"And yes, now I have stood up to that person," she said.
However, Rowland is determined not to succumb to further social media pressure and turn some off-color kitschy decorations into a national cultural war. "There's a fine line between standing up to a jerky neighbor and becoming a jerky neighbor," she wisely pointed out. "I think five dragons are enough."
Dragons or no dragons, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.
27 comments
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Dave Lister
I have a huge problem with the "believe as I do, think as I do, do as I do" mentality. But being a Libra, I see both sides to the issue: On one hand, Ms Rowland has the freedom to decorate as she wishes as long as it doesn't the "common moral standard" (obscenity, pornography, graphic violence, etc). But on the other hand, she did escalate out of immature spite. It wasn't mentioned if the offended neighbor was speaking with the consensus of the other neighbors or unilaterally, although it does seem that they acted out of a sense of moral superiority (which I abhor). I've lived places where neighbors, my opinion, over-decorated to the point of bad taste, but I let it go knowing it was temporary and didn't let it affect my relationship with them, which I felt was more important than a tangle of colorful lights and inflatable figures.
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Maiane santo santos
I hope this does'nt dragon to long for this lady.
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Lori
LOL! I love it!
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Carl Elfstrom
I wonder what Puff the magic dragon is thinking about all this. If anybody's going to Honalee, please ask her.
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Jo
John, if you’re interested in that, maybe try bad-dragon dot com. They have all sorts. Have fun!
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John D. Partin
Ooh, I will!!
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John D. Partin
I thought Puff was a hard-tail.
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Tom B
There is absolutely nothing wrong with her dragons...Peace...Tom
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Marilyn E Gibson
There is always a judgmental a******* in every neighborhood. Kudos to you and your dragon display. I think it's fabulous, in fact looks like maybe Easter could be dressed up. ?
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Carl Elfstrom
How 'bout dragon toasted Easter eggs?
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Eric k
I think God is looking down and thinking cool Christmas display, and Santa is going to bring coal to her neighbor on Christmas
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Carl Elfstrom
Don't forget, God and Goddess made dragons, too. And some of us still celebrate Yule at Christmastime, many of whom which truly believe in dragons, and other winged, flying critters like angels, for instance. Happy Yule and Merry Christmas! Amen and Blessed be!
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Maiane santo santos
This is a great story, kudos to the lady to stand up, baloney to the anonymous neighbour, people can think whatever they want but have the balls to sign your name, reminds me of the troll stories from anti-social media, well it’s almost Christmas so I’m getting ready to enjoy my pagan party with my family, and I hope for the sake of sanity for ms Rowland this does not “dragon”.
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Ruth
If we would just mind our own business, and leave each other alone, this will be a much nicer planet. Let’s spread the frase: Mind your business and smiles to your neighbors ! Happy Holidays to all!!
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Maiane santo santos
+1 merry Xmas.
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Ann Wood
Love this bright, funny, and kind woman. You go, girl. 90 year old Southern woman in North Carolina
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Carl Elfstrom
Why not, "Mind your own business, or beware of our dragons!"
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Minister Post
God bless her heart, keep up the good fight Rowland !
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Rev. Larry Mager
Just remember, Jesus came for everyone! Dragons are fantasy.....so is the Grinch. The neighbor would do well to try to relax and just chalk it up to a tad bit of harmless quirkiness on Ms, Rowlands part. Blessed Christmas to all !!!!!!!!!
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Quasi
You have every right to believe and worship as you choose, but you have also chosen another fantasy mythology.
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Rev. Larry Mager
Hi Quasi, Fantasy is the operative word.
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Carl Elfstrom
Fantasy comes from imagination, and so do beliefs. God and Goddess are real, so we imagine, so who can prove that dragons aren't real, or even the Grinch. That sounds like a good thing to consult with Gandolf about. I heard he's vacationing in the Shire. All you have to do is visualize it to be there with him. Try doing it in theta. That will make it easy.
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Rev. Larry Mager
VERY good point, Carl!!!!! Cheers!
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The Rev. Brother Robert Barker
Where can I get some inflatable dragons so I can annoy my judgmental fundi-neighbors?
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Rev. Larry Mager
Hi Rev. Rob't. Try Walmart.com. I hope You find them. Merry Christmas!!!!!! :-)
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Do they not have the Christmas colours. He could have just as well put 100,000 twinkling lights in his yard, on his house and lite up the place. Then his house would be the place to see as 1000 cars slowly pass his house.
Yes!!!!